Cabernet Franc is a pretty renowned red grape variety originally from the Spanish Pyrenees (according to Guy Lavignac). You’ll find it in the Loire Valley, Bordeaux, in the South West and in plenty of other regions. Dating back to before 1500, this ancient grape variety has a dozen nicknames, clearly reflecting its adaptability to the different wine regions it has conquered. Called ‘Breton’ in the Loire Valley, ‘Bidure’ in Bordeaux, you’ll also hear it referred to more specifically as ‘Bouchet’ in Saint-Emilion. Let’s decipher this grape variety, iconic not only in the Loire Valley, but also at Château Cheval-Blanc!
The finesse, freshness and elegance of Cabernet Franc
Cabernet Franc presents a captivating array of wines. Renowned for its aromatic finesse, this grape delights with a bouquet of spiced, vegetal, and fruity notes, all underpinned by a remarkable structure. Gabriel Lepousez (researcher and neuroscientist) has studied this grape variety, stating “It’s an initiatory grape variety, it takes time to understand it.” Its freshness derives partly from its aromas (mint, eucalyptus), and partly from its mouthwatering acidity. It’s no wonder this grape is celebrated as the “rosé of the Loire Valley” and has earned its stripes as an ice wine in Ontario! This grape variety varies considerably depending on the soils it is planted in, and its colour and style can change radically. Not very aromatic (and humble!), it allows the terroir to express itself.
Cabernet Franc bunches are medium-sized, with small, round berries. Lively, with more restraint than power, especially in its early years, it is delicate and tasty. While not very productive, it is nonetheless most generous in Bordeaux soils. The best stem from clay-limestone and clay-siliceous soils. It’s an early ripening variety that reaches optimal ripeness quickly. Until recently, its vegetal character – often reminiscent of bell pepper – was quite prominent, but today, the best producers tend to steer clear of this pitfall.
When blended with other key Bordeaux varieties, particularly Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon (some of its most notable descendants), it adds roundness to the former and the finesse of its tannins to the latter. The resulting wines resemble those produced from Cabernet Sauvignon, though lighter in colour, less tannic, refined and elegant, guaranteed to keep for a long time.
Where can you find Cabernet Franc around the world?
Hardly shy, Cabernet Franc has spread throughout France, where it is the widely planted. You’ll find 36,000 hectares out of the 45,000 planted worldwide in the country! 33% of these vines are located in the Loire Valley. It is one of the major grape varieties in the Anjou, Anjou-Villages, Touraine, Chinon, Saumur, Saumur-Champigny, Bourgueil and Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil appellations. Historically, red wines from the Loire Valley were shipped to England via Brittany, hence the nickname ‘Plant Breton’ used at the time, even though the grape variety was not planted in Brittany. In the Loire Valley, which takes its name from the longest river in France, Cabernet Franc is mainly produced as a single varietal wine.
It also grows in the South West, particularly in the Bergerac region (Bergerac, Côtes-de-Bergerac, Montravel, Pécharmant), in Gaillac (a minority) and in the Coteaux-du-Quercy. Less common in the Médoc, it is much more widespread in the Libournais area on Bordeaux’s Right Bank, particularly in Saint-Emilion, where it is one of the historic grape varieties. Pomerol and Fronsac are also among its favourite areas to grow on account of their sand and silt soils. Cabernet Franc thrives on deep, rich clay or sandy soils with a clay subsoil.
Outside France, it is planted in Italy (second largest producer) in the north (Friuli – Venezia, in a refined, fresh style reminiscent of those find in the Loire) or as a supplemental grape variety, to round out the blends of the super-Tuscans (IGT Toscane, DOC Bolgheri. Bolgheri has seen its proportion of Cabernet Franc vines skyrocket since 2014.
It is also planted in South America, in Chile, Uruguay and Argentina. The latter, a leading producer of Malbec, still accounts for 1,500 hectares of Cabernet Franc! It is also found in Australia, South Africa and even California, where it is generally blended with Cabernet Sauvignon. It is also the leading red grape variety in Canada! The cool winter climate and very hot summer suit it well… plus the ripening season is too short for either Merlot or Cabernet Sauvignon. There is even a protected designation of origin where only Cabernet Franc is used in Hungary called Villany.
Great wines produced from Cabernet Franc
Possibly one of the most famous Bordeaux wines on the planet, Château Cheval-Blanc, the ultimate Saint-Emilion icon, is mainly crafted from Cabernet Franc. The majority of the estate’s vines are Cabernet Franc (52%). It accounts for an average of 1/3 of the blend in the Château’s superior wine (34% in 2019, 40% in 2018, 29% in 2017). Pierre-Olivier Clouet, the estate’s general manager, who has been vinifying this grape variety for 20 years, shares his thoughts on the grape variety, “Cabernet Franc is a diva, it sings very well but has a dreadful temperament.” Indeed, when all the right conditions come together, it works wonders. This grape variety is quite demanding, with a sensitive maturity; for instance, it dislikes extreme terroirs and does not tolerate irrigation – something the Cheval des Andes estate witnessed in Mendoza, Argentina.
At the acclaimed Harlan Estate, in California’s Napa Valley, around 8% of its blends is Cabernet Franc (although Cabernet Sauvignon makes up the majority with 80%). Similarly, the Tuscan Solaia wine from the Antinori estate includes 5 to 10% of Cabernet Franc in its blend.
Well-known Loire Valley names such as Clos Rougeard, Domaine des Roches Neuves, and Domaine du Bel Air are all single-variety Cabernet Franc wines. In these cuvées, it truly shines, showcasing its remarkable potential with confidence!
